Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1887-08-06

house was utterly unapproachable. In fifteen
minutes, such was the rapidity with which
the flames did their work upon the mass of
dry straw and the wooden roof and fioorings
beneath, the whole of the interior of the
house was glowing, incandescent pile, and
in half an hour it was completely Quilted,
nothing being left standing but the massive
outer walls of stone, over which dense
column of smoke hung like pail Mooifon
tein was blackened ruin: only the stables
and outhouses, which were rooted with gal
vanized iron, being left uninjured
Frank Muller had not been gone five
minutes when, TO BessieS Joy, her uncle
opened his eyes and sal Up.
what is its what Is it," he said. "Ahi l
recollect. What is all this smell of fret
Surely they have not burned the place"
@Yes, uncle" sobbed Bessie, "they have"
The old man groaned at took me ten
years to build, bit by bit, almost stone by
stone, and now they have destroyed it. Well,
why not. Gods will be donel Give me your
arm, love; want to get to the water. l
feel faint and sick"
She did as he babe her, sobbing bitterly,
Within fifteen yards, on the edge of the plan
tatlon, was a little spruit or runnel of water,
and of this he drank copiously and bathed his
wounded head and face
"There, love-" he said @don't fret; feel
quite myself again. I fear made a fool of
myself | haven't learned to bear misfortune
and dishonor as should yet, and, like Job, l
felt as though God had forsaken us. But, as
said, his will be done What is the next
move, wonder' Ali we shall soon know,
Frr
Il am glad to see that you have recovered,
uncle" said Muller, politely, "and am sorry
to have to tell you that the house is beyond
help Believe me, if | knew who fired it l
would shoot him 1t was not my wish or in
tention that the property should be de
| stroved'
The old man merely bowed his head and
made no answer. His fiery spirit seemed to
| be crushed out of him
what is it your pleasure that we should
| do, sr"' said Bessie at last Perhaps, now
that we are ruined, you will allow us to so to
| Natal, which, | suppose, is still an English
| country!'
Yes, Miss Bessie, Natal is still English, for
| the present; soon it viii be Dutch; but am
| sorry that l cannot let You go there now My
orders are to keep you both prisoners and to
| try your uncle by court martial The wagon
| house. he went on, quickly, with the two
| little rooms on each side of 1t, has not been
| touched by the fire will have them made
| ready for you, and as soon as the heat is less
/ You. can so there and, turning to the men
who had followed him, he gave some rapid
| orders, which two of them departed to carry
| out.
| Still the old man made no comment; he did
not even seem indignant or surprised; but
poor Bessie was utterly Frustrated and stood
helpless, not knowing what to say to this ter
rible, remorseless man, who stood so calm
| and unmoved there before them
Frank MuHer paused while to think
| stroking his beard as he did so, then turned
again and addressed the two remaining mel
| behind him.
| You viii keep guard over the prisoner,
| indicating Silas Croft. "and suffer none tt
communicate with him by word or sign. Al
soon as it is ready you will place him in the
little room to the left of the wagon house
and see that he is supplied with all he wants
If he escapes, or converses, or'is i'll treated,
will hold you responsible Do you under
standr'
yah, meinheer," was the answer.
very good; be careful you do not forget
And now, Miss Bessie. | shall be glad if yol
can give me word alone
No. said Bessie; mo, will not leave III,
uncle"
Il fear you will have to do that, ;" he said
with his cold smile Il beg you to thinI
again 1t will be very much to your advan
tage to speak to me, and TO your uncles ad
vantage also | should advise you to come
Bessie heSitated She hated and mistrustet
the man, as she had good reason to do, anC
feared to trust herself alone with him
While she hesitated the two Beers unde
whose watch and ward Muller had placed he
uncle came and stood between him and her
cutting her off from him. Muller turne,
and walked few paces-ten Or SOTO tn
right, and in desperation she followed hm
He halted behind bushy orange tree of som
eight years growth Overtaking him, sh
stood silent waiting for him to begin. The,
were quite close to the others, but the roaring
of the flames of the burning house was still
sufficiently loud to have drowned d nue.
more audible conversation than theirs
what is it you have to say to me?" sh
said at length, pressing her hand against he
heart to still its beating. Her woman's il
stinct told her what was coming and she wa
trying to nerve herself to meet it.
Miss Bessie, he said slowly, -it is this Flo
years | have loved You and wanted to MARI
YOU | again ask you to be my wife"
"Mr Frank Muller she answered, he
spirit rising to the occasion, Il thank you TO
your offer, and the only answer that | ca
give you is that | once and for all decline it.
Think he said, Il love you as women ar
not often loved You are always in my min
by day and by night, too Everything | dc
every step go up the ladder, | have said an
say to myself, 1 am doing it fora3essie Croft
whom l mean to marry Things hav
changed i'll this country The rebellion ha
been successful 1t was who gave the east
'ng vote for it that l might win you. / an
now great man and shall one day be
greater You will be great with me. Thin
what you say
Il have thought, and will not marry you
You dare tC come and ask me to marry yo
over the ashes of my home, out of which yO
have dragged me and my poor old uncle
hate you, tell you, and | will not MARI,
youl had rather marrya kaffir than MARI,
you, Frank Muller, however great you ma,
be"